Need explanations of chopping and straddles

[beanfacekilla]

OK so is this correct now, the regular straddle is only for the UTG player, and as fas as Mississippi straddles (ONLY THE BUTTON CAN DO IT)

Correct. I don't know if you are writing your thoughts, or asking. Good point about why don't they just play higher limit... I think it is like an attempt to jump start luck. Peace.

[Dan Abnormal]

IM doing both by telling you what a I see at the NL table THURSDAY night and probably 5-7x they straddled for $4-$10 and the original confusion was I didnt kow what these where and know watching it I know but someone said at our card room they said double straddles are no longer allowed so who would be able to double straddle just UTG+1 unless its mississipiipi style and it happened so much I dont know why they didnt move to higher limit tables it seems they should only allowed straddles once or twice but if 2 people are doing everytime they are UTG, KICK EM OFF THE TABLE but then you gotta wonder who came up with this iditoc idea to make pots bigger pre flop

[beanfacekilla]

LOL Dan. I forgot about double straddles. Sometimes UTG will straddle, UTG + 1 straddles higher amt., UTG + 2 straddles even more yet, and so on. It is pretty stupid, but the casino likes the max rake... Peace.

[pirates831]

at delaware park, the mississippi straddle can be from any position, but first priority goes to the button (at least the times i've been there).

just don't straddle dan. let others do it. it's -EV.

think of it this way: how often do you get a hand in the SB/BB that is worth playing? you're now paying blinds 30 percent of the time in a 10-handed game. $7 per round in a $1/$2 game. and you're probably completing too many of your SBs, so it's $8. now, you've put $4 in there. pros can straddle and defend their blinds/straddles because they're better than we are. just save your money until you have a hand worth raising.

[Dan Abnormal]

MY post should tell you that I have hard time throwing $2 in the pot so you know once the dealer goes straddle for $5, I have zero interest in playing that hand LOL

[fndrbndr79]

Straddling is good for two things. First, it's a great thing if someone else does it, because it gives you a chance to isolate your AK against Q4o. If you have a playable hand, don't be afraid to get really aggressive preflop.

The other interesting thing is that it tends to thin the field. Everyone will limp in for $2, and once they put in the $2, they're usually going to put in $8 more when I raise. However, if someone raises blind for $5, for some reason, people tend to fold marginal hands. I haven't run any simulations on this or anything, but my suspicion is that when someone straddles, he's getting a ragged hand in against hands that are fairly easy to read (that is, worth answering a raise). When the straddler hits a hand, I'm pretty sure he/she gets paid off more than is typical.

As far as chopping, I usually don't chop, but I'm not sure I've ever been given the chance.

[Dan Abnormal]

I got to see it all last thurday, two people kept straddling at least 5-7x

then everyone folded to me SB and BB and someone said CHOP IT, I said OK, but the other dude would not chop. I had suck cards so when he bet I folded and and then some old dude started ragging him about how he just made the house money on that hand and with his bet and blinds and tip the dollar he made was probably a money loser, PRETTY FUNNY STUFF

[beanfacekilla]

Straddling is good for two things. First, it's a great thing if someone else does it, because it gives you a chance to isolate your AK against Q4o. If you have a playable hand, don't be afraid to get really aggressive preflop.

The other interesting thing is that it tends to thin the field. Everyone will limp in for $2, and once they put in the $2, they're usually going to put in $8 more when I raise. However, if someone raises blind for $5, for some reason, people tend to fold marginal hands. I haven't run any simulations on this or anything, but my suspicion is that when someone straddles, he's getting a ragged hand in against hands that are fairly easy to read (that is, worth answering a raise). When the straddler hits a hand, I'm pretty sure he/she gets paid off more than is typical.
My opinion below on previous point...
With rags it is very unlikely the straddler would be doing anything here but losing, probably just folding after seeing the flop. It is not a profitable play in the long run (for example: the results after doing this move 1000 times). Sometimes, straddlers do wake up with A-A, but obviously, this is highly unlikely.

As far as chopping, I usually don't chop, but I'm not sure I've ever been given the chance.

This post makes a good point about straddles. It is a different way of looking at it. But from my experience, people that already limped will always call the $4 straddle. It's only $2 more. Everywhere I go, a straddle is $4, if the BB is $2. A re-straddle would be $6, then $8, and so on. I have seen re-straddles as far as the button from UTG. It ends up an $18 straddle if it is re-straddled all the way to button (full table, 10 people). Your post sheds a different light on it, but still, I think you a placing a min raise in EP without seeing your cards. It is not mathematically feasible to do this, regardless of the way people may try to explain their reasons. Thanx for the good post though. Peace.